Why is the examination only being offered up to 69 years of age?

The risk of developing and dying from breast cancer is greatest for women between 50 and 69 years of age. The benefit of a mammography screening, i.e. being saved from dying from breast cancer, is therefore greatest for women in this age range. This has been established by large studies.

A mammography screening is no longer offered to women 69 years of age and up. The annual risk of breast cancer does continue to increase with age. However, there also are other more common causes of death. Systematic early detection screenings would cause stress to more women by diagnosing and treating them for breast cancer when they would have died from other conditions instead. 

In Germany the decision has therefore been made against systematic screenings after the age of 70.

However, if you do experience problems or are at a higher risk of breast cancer due to pre-existing conditions, please contact your physician to have these abnormalities examined.